Beer: Reviews & Ratings

Pours a straw gold with small white head that goes quickly (possible dishwasher residue in glass killed head retention). Smell is like a Belgian saison, light yeast esters and lemon. Very nice. Good malt and yeast flavor, but light and very refreshing. Light to medium mouthfeel with ample carbonation adds to refreshing aspect. Overall excellent. (347 characters)

A - poured a one finger thick off-white head into a tulip glass that left good lacing throughout.S - honey, floral and bready with yeasty esters.T - dripping with honey. Cloves and peppery spice.M - prickly carbonation.O - excellent and so drinkable. (266 characters)

I have had this fresh, at one year old and this is a two year old bottle.Nose: Light funk with apricot to peach mixed with light pineapple. Pours a hazy peach under a rapidly descending off-white finely bubbled foam cap. Lacy. Palate: peach and caramel with hints of apricot and cherry. Very creamy medium light body with medium high carbonation.Verdict - the younger the beer the more vibrant the fruit flavors are and the head lasts longer the younger the beer is. Even at 2 years it is a very drinkable beer but it is better fresh. (539 characters)

Batch 012. Appears cloudy golden, with aromas of yeast and floral notes, maybe a hint of citrus. Not too much on the palate other than the expected taste of yeast and a trace of lemon and a mild bitterness. Very well carbonated and easy to drink. The finish is dry, but the yeasty flavor sits for a long time. Very refreshing. I could easily drink multiple bottles. I would say this is a good average Belgian Ale. (413 characters)

Having never partaken of a Russian River product, to say I was excited when I learned my neighbor had returned from a trip to California with this beer is somewhat of an understatement. Unfortunately he could not get the Pliny's, but nonetheless, I was ready to try this one. Side poured from the bottle into a Sam Adams glass.

Appearance - Pours a nice hazy golden color with a good, two finger head that has good retention (about halfway through the beer) and leaves little lacing. Exactly what I expected.

Smell - Citrus, cloves, bananas, tartness, and big wheat and yeast. A good nose on this beer.

Taste - Follows the nose closely. Wheats and yeast are certainly present, with the tartness of orange peel and lemon zest adding some zip to the taste. the spices are also intermixed throughout, making for a complex and very drinkable beer.

Overall - This is a good example of the style, and a good beer. It didn't blow my hair back, and maybe because of the hype surrounding the brewery this review isn't the most impartial. I think I did a good job though. However, for the difficulty of obtaining this beer, there are a dozen others that are just as good. Condor recommended, Condor approved. (1,279 characters)

Poured into a Riedel tulip glass. The liquid is a super-cloudy orange that almost looks like it could be OJ. The pour kicks up a thick, creamy off-white head that fades relatively quickly and leaves a nice amount of lace.

Aroma is dried lemons, cardamom, cloves, bananas, and the other smells typical of yeasty belgian blondes. More emphasis on cardamom here than normal, though.

Taste is similar, with cardamom and cloves taking the lead, and a nice dark-fruitiness makes itself known mid-palate, bringing some raisins and grapes into the mix. Finish is slightly drying and a little bit spicy, and the aftertaste is a nice mix of all the flavors. This one tastes a lot more meaty than most other Belgian blondes I've had, probably due to the heavy-handed emphasis on cardamom here. It's a little overpowering, but welcome to me since this is a style I don't often like as much as this.

Mouthfeel is amazingly silky. Medium-bodied, with a nice creaminess imparted to every sip from the lingering foamy cap.

Overall, this is a really nice Belgian blonde. It manages to keep the trademarks of the style (yeast, lemons, cloves, etc), while tweaking them slightly to make it a bit more interesting. (1,206 characters)

Pours a hazy straw with a small quickly fading white head. Lacing was excellent. Smells of lemon, clove, and banana with hints of light sourness and yeast. Grassy, earthy hops with hints of lemon and sourness. Medium light bodied with high level of carbonation. Overall, a supremely drinkable sour pale. (303 characters)

A: Pours a hazy straw color, with a thick, three-finger head and intense lacing - leaves a layer of foam on the side of the glass. There is a continuous stream of carbonation from the bottom of the glass.

S: Skunk, bile, soap, followed by hay and a light fruitiness. A very weird smelling brew, indeed. It's almost off-putting, but interesting also.

375 ml bottle poured into a Russian River "tion" goblet. Bottled on 04/04/2013.A: pours a couple fingers of egg shell white head with a pale golden body. Simple but appealing.S: gentle yeast phenols of white pepper and bubblegum, some lemon tartness and a grainy malt backbone. Lots of earthy yeast. Notes of wheat though I am unsure if there is any used.T: white pepper up front with some lemon tartness and bubblegum sweetness in the middle and a doughy malt. Less earthy yeast than in the nose but more barnyard funk.M: super light and fluffy. A bit of prickly carbonation but overall very smooth. Good texture.D: highly drinkable and thirst quenching.M: while this is my first time having a single, I see the appeal as it's got pleasant flavors while being very easy to drink. Ideal for lunches and mowing lawns. (822 characters)

T: Moderate spice, mostly pepper with a touch of clove. Moderate light colored fruit. A soft Pils malt sweetness against a medium-light bitterness giving a balance that is about even. The finish is fairly dry with a light spice in the aftertaste.

M: A fluffy beer with a medium-light body and strong level of carbonation.

O: It's right up there with the best examples of this style with that distinct Belgian yeast character of moderate spice and fruit that dominates this beer. (726 characters)

T: Crisp apple, slight spiciness, funky undertone that puts an old earth character in the background. Some gentle sweetness from the malts.

M: Crisp, light, and dry. Very nice.

O: A pleasure to drink! I didn't expect a lot from this beer but it delivered great complexity without weight. It reminded me a lot of drinking a gently brett'ed saison but with a Belgian twist. (571 characters)

Poured a thin layer of head on a hazy, golden colored body.The aroma is nice: pear, dry grain, bread and apple cider. Light and pleasant.The taste has a dull sweet pear flavor, some mild lemon bitterness and finishes with a touch of yeast.The texture is great. Crisp and fizzy.The taste lacked depth and complexity, but it was still an enjoyable drink. (356 characters)

The beer pours a sharp golden honey color, hues of straw, cloudy complexion with a soft, cloudy white head that sits gently atop the beer before receding quickly and leaving just a few spots of soapy lace behind. The aroma is of pale grain, yeast, a touch of funk, clove, light citrus with some floral qualities as well, but it's heavy on the grain and yeast, very simple. The flavors are right in line, lots of pale grain, yeasty funk and fruit, clove with some citrus and floral qualities, a bit of spice is noticeable too. The grain really dominates this beer and doesn't really let any of the subtle qualities develop. The body is nice, pretty rich and full, coats the mouth very well, the carbonation is crisp but a touch abrasive with a slightly creamy finish.

Verdict: A good Belgian Pale Ale from Russian River, but a far cry from a beer like Damnation or some of their other Belgian Blondes. The beer is just too simplistic and grain heavy and it doesn't come across as light and delicate, which is what I was really hoping for. (1,112 characters)